It's Complicated: Alternate Ending
by HydeLuver
Summary: Tori and Beck struggle to put an end to their secret romance before hurting those closest to them. Includes Bori/Bade/Tandre This includes an alternate ending to the already completed story, "It's Complicated"
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: This is the alternate ending to_ it's complicated. _The first chapter is the same in both stories so if you have already read it (and don't want to read it again), go on to the next chapter. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Victorious or any of the characters on the show. **

_**8 years after the finale-**_

Tori Vega is driving her car past the Hollywood hills and admires the day's sunshine. After three days of non-stop rain, people in Hollywood could finally step out and enjoy the weather. She notices the happy smiles of kids walking alongside their parents and young couples walking hand in hand to and from shops along the shopping strip. She notices one particular couple, happily strolling along smiling and laughing together. They must have been a little older that fifty and still shared love-struck stares with each other. It makes her smile to see that kind of love still around, but it also makes her feel guilty about what she is doing.

As she continues driving towards the Sunset Hills, her anxiety increases. She knows the best thing to do would be to turn around and head back home where she is safe and nothing bad can happen. By turning around, she will be making sure that no one gets hurt and can go about their businesses without any problems. Even though she knows this, she can't bring herself to do so. Something stops her from making the logical decision and keeps her driving forth. The internal conflict she's been dealing with for the past half hour is not strong enough to make her go back to her safe place.

After about twenty minutes on the road, she approaches her destination. She pulls the car up to the driveway of the isolated cabin and steps out. It's been nearly two month since she's been here and she still feels right at home. Something about the airiness and tranquility of this place eases her nerves and makes her happier than when she is anywhere else. If someone asks her where home is, she would be inclined to tell them about this place. Of course, she could never do that without bringing shame to herself.

She throws her bag over her shoulders and walks the distance of the driveway up to the door. She reaches under the mat to find the key. It's crazy how much of a routine this has become for her. Every month, she finds herself right here doing the exact same thing, feeling the exact same way. As she unlocks the door and turns the knob she is met with the familiar scent of the house. The natural smell of the location make her smile. It's such a contrast from the busy city she lives in. Being here is almost like being on vacation.

She walks around for a bit before heading to the bedroom to unload her bag and settle in. She lays down on the bed and closes her eyes, basking in the temporary peace and quiet around her. This is the life she desires. If it wasn't for the fact that her dreams require her to be in the city for auditions, she could see herself living here for the rest of her life. She would become an old lady and raise her children to live a carefree and innocent life; one in which they wouldn't have to be afraid of getting mugged on the streets or feel rejection from the shallow city people.

She continues reflecting on how perfect her life would be if all this was permanent and not just something she did once a month. Her thoughts are abruptly interrupted by a male figure who has now inhabited the bedroom. She looks at him, standing by the door with just a towel wrapped around his waist and his hair dripping wet. She raises an eyebrow at him and shoots him a sarcastic smile.

"I see you're ready" she says and makes him laugh. She gets out of bed, rushes over to him and wraps her arms around his neck. He returns the embrace by wrapping his arms around her waist and lifting her just a few feet off the ground. He leans in for a kiss and as soon as their lips touch, she feels every nerve in her body reacting with happiness. Her insides tingle and she is absolutely entranced in the moment. She runs her fingers through his wet hair and pulls him in to deepen the kiss. Sensing her urgency, he pulls away and smiles.

"We have all day" he says, setting her back down.

She nods her head and watches as he walks towards a chair and looks through his bag to find some clothes to change into. Tori sits down on the edge of the bed and watches as he begins to dress in front of her. He notices her checking him out and says "like what you see?"

She nods her head yes and they share a laugh. He informs her he picked up food for them and once he is dressed, they head to the kitchen to eat.

After about an hour of eating and catching up, he takes her hand and leads her back to the bedroom. He walks her over to the bed and once she is sitting on the edge, he walks over to a radio by the dresser and finds a slow song they can listen to. When he looks back over to her, he sees her starting to take her top off. Instantly, he walks over to her and stops her from continuing to get undressed. She looks at him curiously, confused as to why he isn't as excited to sleep with her as she is to be with him.

"I don't want to rush this," he announces, hoping she isn't feeling rejected, "I want to enjoy today with you before we have to go back."

As the music fills the atmosphere, she has to wonder why he would bring up the fact that they have to leave in a few hours. After starting the day on a wonderful note, she had completely forgotten about her life outside this cabin. Now, he brought her right back to reality.

He notices her face fall. "I'm sorry," he says, "I shouldn't have brought it up."

She nods her head and looks around the room. Somehow, the magic got sucked out of it after he said that. With a loud sigh, she forces a smile which she quickly sees doesn't convince him.

"Tori?" he asks.

"Beck, I don't want to talk about it okay?" she responds. She gets off the bed and begins to pace around the room. For whatever reason, she is now feeling as if someone sucked all the air out of the room and really just wants to get out. She wishes she can go back just a few minutes and stop him from mentioning the sad truth. He knows how much it pains her to have to leave the cabin every single month. He knows how much she struggles with her decision to come and how when she comes here, she tries to forget about the real world in order to enjoy her time with him.

"I don't want to talk about it either, but do you ever think that maybe we should? We've been doing this for a while now and I think we'll eventually have to figure out where it's going" he says, hoping to reason with her.

She shoots him a harsh look which instantly makes him regret asking her this question, more than the first one. "You really want to talk about it now? Here? I hadn't realized that's what we came here to do."

He is surprised by the aggressive tone in her voice. It's been years since he's heard a similar tone coming from her, and that time hadn't been directed towards him. He gets off the bed and walks towards the radio. He lowers the volume and walks over to a chair near the door. He leans against its arm and knows it's best to not respond. Having known her for years, he understands that it's best to just let her finish.

"I mean, I know we should eventually figure out what we're doing but I really didn't think you would bring it up here. Do you understand what this place means to me? This is where I can come to be _with _you and forget about all the shit that goes on in my life. Here, I don't have to feel guilty about what we're doing. I can just put it in the back of my mind and deal with it on my way back. You bringing it up pretty much ruined this for me."

He looks on as she continues to pace around the room. He knows this is how she feels about this cabin. Hell, that is exactly how he feels also. However, it has gotten to the point where he needs answers. Every month he comes up here to meet up with her and they go on about their merry day as if everything is fine when in fact, it is the exact opposite. Life outside these walls is a mess for both of them and it is necessary for them to find some resolution. Given that this is one of the few times they are alone, it is the only opportunity they have to figure it out.

"I understand that Tori, I really do but after all these years I think it's time we make a decision. I'm not sure how much longer we're supposed to keep this up and ignore everything that happens once we leave. We're too old to keep this up don't you think?"

She stops pacing long enough to look at him. She sees how determined he is about this and knows that to some extent he is right, but she is not ready to talk about it. Talking about it would only reinforce her guilt and make her relationship with him seem wrong...more so than it already is.

"I just...let's do this another day okay?" she asks. Walking over to the chair where she set down her bag, she gets ready to leave. There is no way she can enjoy her time here now without thinking of how she's hurting everyone around her. Beck quickly walks over to her, determined to stop her and just have her talk to him.

"Stop, okay? Let's just figure it out now and that way we can still have fun the rest of the day" he says, taking her bag from her.

"Beck, this is a bad idea. I just want to leave. I can't sit here with you now and have a good time. It's just not possible. Maybe it's best if we just make this the last time and move on with our lives."

He looks dumfounded. This is not the response he expected from her. "Tori, you know that's not what you want. That's not what I want either. I can't imagine not being able to spend time with you, be here with you. Every month I count the days until I can get away from all my troubles and come here. Every time I see you out there I have to stop myself from telling you how much I want you, how much I love you. The time I spend here is amazing and I know you feel the same way which is why you come every month. So please don't tell me we should stop seeing each other because I know it's not what you really want."

Her heart melts at his words. He has managed to capture her feelings perfectly. She is filled with emotions at the realization that he feels the same about her and their time together. However, as she looks around the room, her guilt does not subside. She looks at him and his hopeful eyes tug at her heart.

'_There's that damn internal conflict again' _she thinks.


	2. Chapter 2

Tori sighs in resignation and sets her bag down. She walks over to Beck and stares deeply into his eyes. She can see he is relieved that she has decided to stay, and frankly she is too. While leaving would have been the right thing to do, it would also have been the end of her relationship with Beck and that's something she isn't ready for just yet. However, now that she has stayed, they have to figure out where things for them will go.

Beck brings his hand to her cheek and caresses it gently. "Thank you for staying" he says just loud enough for her to hear, "I really appreciate it." She simply nods her head and relishes the feeling of his touch. "You know this is hard for me to do. You know this isn't something we should be doing" she says quietly, not wanting to completely ruin the moment.

"Tori, you keep saying it's wrong, and I understand but it doesn't feel wrong to me. This, having you here with me, feels like the only natural thing in the world" he explains, hoping she can finally start seeing things from his perspective. He wants to convince her that the time they spend together is wonderful.

"Beck...you know I love being here with you. Every month I come down here just so I can be with you. I just wish it wasn't so hard. Once I leave here, I hate myself for not having the strength to stop this. No matter how great it is having this time with you, it's so fucked up. You're his best friend Beck...you're his best friend and I'm his girlfriend and look at what we're doing. God, what the hell _are_ we doing? We are both risking so much to be with each other and every time I walk out those doors, I feel like a terrible person" says Tori, close to tears. Every emotion she has had over the years come whirling back, reminding her that nothing about this is right.

Beck takes her hand and leads her to the couch so she can sit. He sees the surge of emotions eating away at her and wants nothing more than to comfort her.

"Hey Tori, listen," he starts, "I know it's risky, okay? Trust me, I think about it all the time too. I know what we're doing is stupid but I can't feel bad about it because I'm only following my heart. Every month I come up here and I forget about how wrong this is because all I want to do is be with you. Whenever something happens to me, you're the first person I want to tell, but I can't. I can't because of our lives out there" he says pointing towards the window. "You don't think I struggle with this every day? I do, probably more than you do, but even that doesn't seem to be able to stop me from being with you. I just...I'm willing to take the risk if it means I get to be here, with you."

As soon as those words escape from his mouth, she realizes just how deep their situation is. Sure she has always been aware of the seriousness of their relationship, she couldn't dream of downplaying that. However, hearing him so determined and willing to lose everything in his life, just to be with her, gives her a slight sense of panic. She doesn't want him to give everything up. That is not what she signed up for when she agreed to this arrangement.

She shakes her head and gets up from the couch she has been sitting on. "I don't want you to take that risk. I don't want you to lose everything for whatever it is we're doing. Beck, we just really need to stop doing this. It's in everybody's best interest" she says, not looking at him.

"We've tried this before Tori, don't you remember? Six months ago you told me you wouldn't come back anymore and what happened? The next month you came up here and nothing changed. Your heart won't let you stop this because you love me, and I love you. That's why we can't stop this. You know this just as well as I do" Beck says aggressively and clearly frustrated with where their conversation is heading.

"Last time was different Beck and you know that. Neither of our relationships were going that great, and that's why I came here. But this needs to stop. I mean, you're married Beck! You're married to Jade and I'm with Andre, how can you not feel bad about what we're doing?" Tori asks desperately. Saying the names of their significant others really solidifies the lives they both work so hard to avoid inside the cabin walls.

"Because I love you, and I'm tired of sneaking around. I'm tired of having to see you in some damn cabin in the woods and then out there I have to pretend that none of this is happening. It's bullshit Tori. Do you know how hard it is to see you with him whenever everyone gets together? Watching you touch and kiss him drives me fucking insane, but what can I do? Nothing, that's what! I have to sit there and suck it up because I can't say a damn thing. The only time I can do something, anything, is when we're here and now you want to put a stop to this. It's bullshit."

Tori watches as he begins to shake in anger and doesn't know what to do. She nods her head in understanding. However, as much as she agrees with him, she knows that they are not the victims in this situation. If anything, it's unfair for Jade and Andre to have this happening to them. She explains this to Beck.

Beck looks at her and asks her something he hasn't asked her before. "Do you love me?" She nods her head and says "Of course I love you, I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't." Then he asks, "Do you love me enough to leave Andre?" She looks at him in shock.

"Beck...that's not fair" she responds.

"It's a simple question Tori. Don't over think it. Do you love me enough to leave Andre?" He asks again. She feels the intensity of his gaze.

"It's not simple at all Beck. What about Jade? This isn't just about my relationship, you're married, or did you forget about that?" She wonders if perhaps he has indeed overlooked that detail of his life in his attempt to have her end her relationship. How can he though? He's been with Jade for years and their relationship is much more serious that her relationship with Andre, so why is that not the focus of their conversation?

"You still haven't answered my question?" he insists again. Tori narrows her eyes and wonders when he became this persistent.

After a few seconds of awkward silence, she takes a deep breath and says...


	3. Chapter 3

"Yes. You know that my answer is yes Beck" she says. While she is taken aback by the question, and the fact that he would even ask her, part of her can't help but love him all the more for putting himself out there for her.

He gets closer to her and smiles. "Let's do it then Tor. These past few years we have both wanted the opportunity to be together but we keep depriving ourselves of being completely happy. Let's just fight for this then...let's just go for it."

Tori looks at him and sees the sincerity in his eyes. However, deep down, she knows that he will not actually leave Jade. Even though she knows how much he loves her, Tori knows that Beck just can not see himself without Jade in his life. He admitted this to her once after he had gotten incredibly drunk. Tori never told Beck that he said it because she knew he would deny it. She also never mentions it because it was hurtful to hear him say so.

Ever since their days at Hollywood Arts, Beck and Jade have been together and no matter how much they argued and claimed to hate one another, they always found their way back to each other. Now they are married and Tori could not bring herself to come between that, anymore than she already has. She knows that even though he is telling her everything she wants to hear, he is not going to leave Jade for her. Even if he does actually go through with it, he will ultimately regret doing so. This alone, is enough of a reason for Tori to walk away from him.

"You and I both know that's not a good idea. We're both committed to someone else. You're married for Christ's sake. As much as I love you Beck, this isn't a rational discussion for us to be having and you know that" Tori says, hoping to get him on the same page as her.

"Fuck rational thinking right now, okay Tori? Love isn't rational. Neither of us has been thinking rationally for years. You think you're being rational every time you drive your car up here to meet me, because I sure as hell am not. This isn't about being rational, this is about finally ending this fear we both have and just running away with our feelings" replies Beck forcefully.

She chuckles a bit at his romantic outburst. It is so unlike him to express this much emotion so easily. She appreciates the effort he is making and can't help but want to believe every word he is saying. However, she can't let herself get wrapped up in promises that she knows won't be accounted for. Neither she nor Beck want to be in the position where their secret relationship hurts their significant other.

Tori takes the few steps that are separating them and kisses his cheek. "I think you are amazing Beck Oliver, but this is certainly about being rational and we need to think about what is the best option in this situation. Running out and ending things with Andre and Jade isn't the right move right now."

Beck looks disappointed that she is not agreeing with his plan. Part of him is angry that she isn't willing to put it all on the line for their relationship, but he can understand why she is being cautious. Jade and Andre, having been in their lives for so long, deserve more than what he is proposing. He couldn't imagine losing his best friend or hurting Jade who he's been with for so long. They both mean everything to him and he realizes how much he and Tori would lose.

Beck nods to Tori. They have both reached a silent understanding. She shoots him an apologetic look before turning towards the door and walking out.

Beck walks over to the bed and lies down to process everything that just happened. Within minutes, he hears his phone vibrating and walks over to the bedside table just a few feet away. After pressing a few buttons, he sees an e-mail notification from Andre with the subject "Engagement Dinner." Those two words alone are enough to make his heart skip a beat.

He quickly opens the e-mail just to see his worst nightmare personified. Andre's message reads: "Beck, I need a favor buddy. I'm planning a dinner Saturday night and am going to propose to Tori and I would appreciate it if you can find some way to distract her in the afternoon so I can get things set up. No one else is available so I'm counting on you. Shoot me a text as soon as you read this. -A."

"Damn it!" says Beck to himself. What the hell kind of joke is the world playing on him? First Tori walks out on him and now he has to entertain her while his best friend plans their engagement? How is he supposed to help Andre out when he is in love with Tori?

He can easily pretend to be busy that day and then Andre will have to put the engagement dinner on hold for some other day. Then he could use the extra time to try and convince Tori to give their relationship a chance.

Beck sighs at the situation he is now in. He couldn't bring himself to let Andre down even if it means losing Tori. After carrying a relationship with her for so long, he at least owes his best friend this.

He gets off the bed and walks towards the chair he threw his jacket on. He puts it on and looks back down at his phone, taking a minute to re-read Andre's E-mail. Reluctantly, he presses the reply button and tells Andre he will be available to distract Tori on Saturday.


	4. Chapter 4

It's early Saturday morning and Beck is already up preparing breakfast for himself. Jade is still upstairs sleeping in their comfortable bed while he is frantically searching for a spatula inside the numerous drawers in their still not-finished kitchen. _Who the hell needs this much storage in a god damn kitchen _he thinks to himself in frustration. After several more minutes of searching, he finds all the materials he needs to make an omelette.

Once he's done cooking, he walks over to the small dining table in the corner and begins to eat. The thought of what today signifies for him and Tori keeps swirling in his mind and he still can't believe he agreed to be an accomplice in Andre's plan. A small, and very twisted, part of him wants to just call Andre and tell him he can't help him out today and confess everything to him. Hell, there would be no way Andre would propose to Tori then. There would also be no way he could prevent Jade from finding out so he knows this isn't an option.

His phone suddenly starts vibrating and takes him out of his trance. He reaches for it and reads a text Andre just sent: _checking to see that you're still down. I'll text you later on and tell you when Tori's leaving. Thanks for helping man. -A_

Beck sighs anxiously and texts Andre back letting him know that he is still going to help him out. The plan is to get Tori to take Andre's guitar to the instrument repair store and have Beck "accidentally" run into her there as he looks for a new guitar for himself. He shakes his head and imagines how this would even go down. _Oh hey Tori, fancy seeing you here. I know you walked out on me a few days ago, but how about we spend the next few hours together for absolutely no special reason? _Beck rolls his eyes and groans at the ridiculous scenario and loses his appetite. If he's going to go through with this for Andre, he's going to have to keep busy for the time being and try to relax. He takes his plate, throws the scraps in the waste basket and decides to take a shower.

A couple of hours later, Andre texts Beck and lets him know that Tori is on her way out to go to the repair store. Hurriedly, Beck grabs his car keys, jacket and wallet and heads out to meet her there. He sends Andre a message reading "_on my way out" _and gets in the car. He lives closer to the store than Andre and Tori do, but he doesn't want her to see him pulling up into the parking lot. As he drives on, his anxiety rises. It's been a few days since he's last spoken to Tori and he is more than sure that a very awkward encounter awaits him. Chances are, she isn't ready to see him, much less speak to him yet. It also doesn't help that all he keeps thinking about is the fact that within a few hours, she might agree to marry Andre and will officially put an end to their relationship.

Unlike him, Tori isn't the kind of person to make a commitment like that to someone and then go ahead and cheat on them. She couldn't do to Andre what he has been doing to Jade for two years, that's just not the kind of person she is. Even though she herself holds some of the blame for not putting an end to their secret relationship, he knows he is the one who really fucked up. Not only has he been cheating on his wife, he has also been indifferent about it and only thinks about establishing a legitimate relationship with Tori.

About fifteen minutes later he is parked a few feet from the store. Looking around the lot, he doesn't see her car there yet so he turns off his engine. Having left the motor running, he turns on the radio and flips through the stations. Music is the only thing that will help ease his mind right now. As the smooth melody of Led Zeppelin's "Since I've Been Loving You" surrounds him, he waits patiently for her to arrive.

After about ten minutes, he sees her car pulling up and she gets out carrying a guitar case. He quickly texts Andre and tells him that the plan is in motion. He gives her a few seconds to get inside the store and switches his car off. Walking briskly to the store, he sees her over by the counter talking to the salesman. The guitar case is on the glass counter and the man is looking at it, trying to figure out how to fix it.

As nonchalantly as possible, he walks over to where she is standing and says, "Tori?"

She turns around and sees him standing about five feet from her. He notices the evident shock on her face. He walks a bit closer to her and he sees her tense up.

She is speechless. _What the hell _she thinks. "Beck? What are you doing here?" she stammers.

"Oh, I...I'm looking to buy a new guitar. Want to change it up a little you know" he says as he conspicuously looks around the store. "What a coincidence running into you here, what are you here for?"

She eyes him curiously. "Andre's guitar broke and he didn't have time to drop it off so he asked me to bring it in."

He simply nods. Not wanting to seem obvious, he starts walking towards a display of guitars a few feet away from them. As he turns his back to her, he takes a deep breath. He can't believe how nervous he is after speaking to her for only two minutes. This is the girl that up until this point has always brought him relief. Obviously the circumstances are different, and frankly he doesn't know how to act around _this_ Tori.

She looks after him incredulously and slowly turns back to the salesman who is telling her what they will need to do to the guitar and how much it will cost to get it fixed. As he babbles on about strings and tuning, she can't stop herself from shooting glances at Beck. He has to be up to something. There is no way they just so happened to run into each other.

They spend some time at the store, he looking through rows of guitars and she negotiating the price of fixing the strings. After Tori agrees on a price, she walks over to Beck with the intention of saying good bye to him. "Hey Beck, I'm going to get going."

Beck starts to panic. He knows very well that he needs to keep her busy for a few more hours. Stupidly, he hadn't come up with any ways to do this. She leans over and taps his shoulder as a farewell motion.

"Wait, let's go grab some food or something" he says.

"That's not really a good idea. Besides, weren't you going to get a guitar?" she says nervously.

"Didn't really like any of these. Come on though, it's only to eat. We'll be outside in front of dozens of people, I can't exactly try anything" he responds with a smirk.

She shakes her head, not fully convinced about this.

"Tori, I would still like to be your friend. I know what happened between us makes this incredibly awkward, but I don't want to lose your friendship because of it" he says honestly.

She relaxes a bit at his words and reluctantly nods her head. He extents his arm playfully for her to hold. She grabs on to his arm with a smile and they walk out of the store. They walk a block down and agree on a small diner.

The hostess welcomes them and walks them to a booth already set up with menus and silverware. Nervously, Tori looks around the place noticing the 1950's inspired decorations. The place is surprisingly empty. _So much for dozens of people _she thinks.

"So how have you been?" Beck asks, desperate to ease the tension.

"Listen, I know this is weird for you too so while we're here can we...um...try to keep things light. I really don't want to talk about what happened between us right now, okay?" she interrupts.

Beck's face falls and he reluctantly nods. He was really hoping to get things straightened out. Now that she has taken that off the table, they will have to sit here and make small talk with each other and God knows he hates small talk.

Halfway through their meal, Beck's phone vibrates. "Excuse me" he tells Tori not wanting to appear rude. He pulls his phone from his pocket and sees a text message from Andre: _Just need an hour or so around here, then you can bring her over. _Beck sighs. He is running out of ideas and can tell she is not getting any more comfortable around him.

Quickly, he tries to come up with something else they can do to prevent her from going home. "Hey, can you help me pick out a gift for Jade?" he asks and as soon as the words leave his mouth, he mentally kicks himself. Why did he think bringing up Jade was a good idea.

He notices her body tense up at the mention of his wife and quickly tries to find another suggestion. "Or we could maybe stroll around and see if there are any performers in the park."

"We can get Jade a present Beck" Tori responds, her voice emotionless.

He nods politely knowing that he just created an even more uncomfortable situation between them and basically ruined the decent day they were having. However, he is happy he has found a way to keep her distracted.

After they finish eating, they stroll around looking through stores trying to find something for Jade. Beck, not having had any intention to buy her anything, is at a loss as to what he's even looking for. After about half hour, they finally decide on a set of earrings he thinks she might like. He notices that Tori has been even more silent than she was when he first asked her to come with him. As they stand by the cash register to pay, Beck gets another text message from Andre: _All done. You guys can come over. _

"Hey, Andre just sent me a text me. I need to head over and pick up this thing I left there a few weeks ago" Beck tells Tori, hoping to sound convincing enough.

"What thing?" she asks curiously. The thought of hanging out in her apartment with Andre _and_ Beck is not something she is looking forward to. As if spending the day with her former lover isn't awkward enough, now she is going to have to endure this.

"Just this thing I need for a performance I'm doing." He senses that she doesn't believe him and before she can interject and ask any more questions, he points in the direction of his car and starts walking towards it. "I'll meet you there in a few" he calls out and briskly walks over to the parking lot, leaving her to look after him in disbelief.

A little over twenty minutes later, Beck arrives at Andre's building with Tori getting there only a few minutes later. He quickly texts Andre to tell him they've arrived. As soon as he sees Tori parking her car, he starts walking towards the door, not wanting to give her the opportunity to question him or try to persuade him to go home.

"STOP!" she yells at him. She is out of her car and looking sternly at him. _Crap _Beck thinks and turns back to look at her. Within seconds, she is near him.

"What is going on Beck?" she asks.

"What do you mean?" he asks innocently.

She squints her eyes slightly. "I know something's going on and I want you to tell me_ right now._"

"Nothing is going on Tori. I told you, I just need to come pick something up, that's all."

Clearly not believing him, she continues to question him and for a few minutes, he keeps reassuring her that he's not up to anything. Eventually, she drops it and walks ahead of him and up the stairs to the apartment she shares with Andre.

They walk three flights up in silence. Each step Beck takes, however, weighs heavier on him than the last. The closer they get to her apartment, the closer he is to losing her forever. He feels his body heat rising and his pulse racing. Without thinking, he reaches over to her and grabs her wrist. She turns and looks down at the spot where his hand is holding her. She then looks up at him, questioningly.

"Before we get in there," he starts, "I just want to say that I am sorry if I ever hurt you, in any way. That was never my intention. I want you to know that I really do love you." He lets go of her wrists and looks down at the steps. There is an awkward pause in which neither say anything. Then, Tori places her index finger under his chin and forces him to look at her. She gives him a small smile and nods her head. He nods in return. That simple gesture is enough to tell him that despite their uncomfortable day, she still feels the same.

As her finger drops from his chin, he takes a deep breath and watches as she turns back and goes up the last flight of steps. Once outside her door, she fumbles for her keys and within seconds, opens the door ajar.

They are quickly overwhelmed by the loud "SURPRISE"coming from their friends. Tori stands by the door frame confused as to what is going on. It takes her a few seconds to spot her boyfriend a few feet away kneeling on his knees holding a small box open for her to see. Tori's mouth drops open and she brings up her hand to cover it. She forgets about everything but Andre. She walks over to him slowly and kneels down in front of him.

"No, I want you to stand up" he says. "I want to do this right."

Beck, who is still standing by the door frame, closes the door behind him and leans against the wall. He sees his wife across the room and shoots her a smile which she quickly returns. He turns his attention back to his best friend and the girl he's in love with, feeling a pit building in his stomach.

Tori stands up and Andre, still kneeling, holds her left hand. "I've known you for such a long time now and I truly feel like you are a part of me. You make every single day better than the last and you make everything I do more special. With you, I have learned what it means to be truly happy. You, Tori, have helped me developed into a person I can be proud of. I can't imagine spending the rest of my life without you and this is why I would be honored if you accept my proposal and become my wife."

His words touch her heart and his love overwhelms her. Everything he has said in his proposal are things she feels for him as well. There is no denying Andre's importance in her life and the impact he has had in helping her become a better person. However, looking around at everything he's done for her, she knows that she is nowhere near as good a person as he is because he would never cheat on her. He would never do to her what she has been doing to him. He would never hurt her like that. Tears begin to flow down her face as she thinks of what an awful person she has been to him.

"Tori?" says Andre a bit nervously. Everyone around is staring at her and she knows she has a decision to make.

"Will you marry me?" asks Andre. Tori looks down at him and then at the ring that signifies the start of a new life for them. She takes a deep breath and …


	5. Chapter 5

Smiles down at her boyfriend wiping the tears off her face. She nods her head excitedly and watches as he slides the ring on her finger. He quickly stands up and embraces her. She looks deeply into his eyes and instantly knows that she has made the right decision. This is the man she is supposed to be with and even if it kills her, she is determined to right all the wrong decisions she has made and do right by him.

Andre suddenly picks her up and twirls her around. Their friends burst out in cheers and congratulatory comments and all the tension she has been feeling during the last few hours vanish. Being in Andre's arms is the simplest thing in the world. In his arms, she doesn't have to worry about sneaking around or wives. Their relationship is not complicated, and she prefers it that way. Once he stops spinning her around, she looks up at him and kisses him. "I love you" she whispers to him and he smiles.

On the other side of the room, Beck claps slowly as his best friend and former lover revel in their happiness. Inside, he is feeling a mix of emotions. On one hand he is happy for Andre. He knows how much this means to his best friend. If anyone deserves happiness, it is Andre. Not only is he a great friend, he is an amazing person. He always goes out of his way to help others and never judges.

On the other hand, a pang of anger and jealousy flows through his core. Tori is supposed to be with him, and him alone. He is sure that no one, not even Andre can love her as much as he can.

He looks up and sees Jade walking over to the couple to get a better look at the ring and congratulate them. His heart tightens and he feels short of breath. For the first time in a long time, he looks at his wife and feels guilty for what he has been doing behind her back. For so long, all he could focus on was his relationship with Tori. He was even ready to put his marriage on the line to be with her, and not once did he think about what that would mean to Jade. _You really are an asshole _he thinks to himself. Quickly, he walks out of apartment, desperate to get some fresh air.

He walks down the four flights of stairs and once outside, walks over to his car. It is a clear night, though it has gotten fairly chilly. Thankful for not having taken his jacket off, he zips it up halfway as he climbs on the car to sit on its hood. The last few days have been such a whirlwind and it overwhelms him how much has suddenly changed in his life.

After about ten minutes, Beck notices Jade walking over to him. He smiles as she gets closer and eventually takes a seat next to him. He drapes and arm around her shoulders and pulls her closer to him.

"What's wrong?" she asks, wanting to know why he left the party.

"Nothing, just felt a little sick in there" he replies, being completely truthful.

"I bet, engagement parties usually are pretty sickening" she jokes,

He laughs and nods his head in agreement. As she nuzzles herself in the crook of his neck, he inhales and smells the faint scent of her shampoo- a mix of vanilla and almonds. He remembers craving the scent of her in the early years of their marriage. Now, the scent is almost unfamiliar. A sadness washes over him as he realizes how much he has taken her for granted.

"Are you still happy with me after all these years?" he asks.

She looks at him a bit alarmed. "Yes. Are you?"

He takes a deep breath. "I am. I admit there have been times when I haven't been and I should probably have talked to you about it so we could work things out."

She nods silently. "I'm sorry for not making you happy all the time. I do want you to tell me when you're not happy though. It's the only way to make our marriage stronger."

Now he nods. He turns and kisses the top of her head. She moves closer to him and he can feel her relax. As they look up to the sky, it takes everything inside him not to confess to her what he has been doing over the last two years. He wants to be able to start over with her, be completely honest, and he can't do that without telling her the truth.

However, he knows there is no way she would agree to move forward with him if he tells her. Seeing how comfortable she is with him, just sitting on the hood of his car, he knows he will have to hold on to that secret for the rest of his life.

Tonight isn't about him and it isn't about Tori. Tonight is about his best friend being happy and him starting a clean slate with his wife. He dedicates this night to new beginnings. Even if he doesn't tell Jade what happened between him and Tori, this is his opportunity to make things alright.

"Let's go home" he tells her.

She nods her head and they hop off the hood of the car and into the night.

**The End**

_**Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed this shorter version of the story. **_


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